Island life has begun for many in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with players being able to choose exactly where they want to place their new tent home after they receive it from the Nooklings. However, it may be difficult for some players to pick exactly where to settle down on their new island. Players can eventually move their home's location, but that option won't be available until players make much more progress in the game, so it's best for players to pick someplace where they'll be happy to stay in for a while.
Compared to previous titles in the Animal Crossing series, there is a lot more freedom for players when placing their homes. Being directly next to rivers or even being on a beach is no longer the problem it was in Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Players wanting a home surrounded by trees or directly next to the ocean can follow their wishes without worry. The only restriction as the first player moving in at the start of the game is the inability to access parts of the island closed off by rivers or on higher elevations. These locations can later be accessed and moved to with the vaulting pole.
As every island in Animal Crossing: New Horizons is completely unique, as well as every player, feeling out which spot is best is entirely up to the player. However, there are suggestions that can be made.
For players wanting to decorate all around them and take advantage of the new ability to put furniture outside, picking a spot with a lot of surrounding space would be a good idea. Some furniture items can get very large, so making sure there's enough space to fit things from tables to hot springs might be a good idea.
Being near a river or directly on the beach would be great for players interested in fishing. As players will get storage options upon unlocking a house, players with waterfront property will be able to fish the days away and put all their extra fish in storage to save time before donating or selling them. Being by the water all the time might help players find the occasional castaway as well.
After players put down their tent, they will be given the option to pick the spots for their new neighbors as well. This can be done by just talking to them. The same rules about placement apply, but unless players are going for a more suburban or developed feel for their town, placing tents too close to each other might not be a good idea. There are some bugs that can harm players, being wasps, scorpions, and tarantulas. If players aren't confident enough to catch them with their net, running away is the only option, and having buildings or tents that are too cramped together can make escape very difficult.
Once players put down their tent, they are ready to move forward in their new island lives!
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is available now, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.
